Evie Grace REPOSTED
by CassidyTVNut
Summary: Carol returns from South Africa...Reposted as the old version was not too great, but I like the storyline. I was a fairly new writer back then, and have improved my writing skills a lot :
1. The Missing Link

Evie Grace (Repost)

**Carol returns from South Africa.**

_When I wrote this fic to start (almost a year ago) I was a very new writer. I want to have another crack at this fic, so enjoy. Will probably post some new content as well._

Chapter 1: The Missing Link

Tony Hill sat in the incident room of Bradfield Police, rigorously studying the case of Darcy Calgary, a 3 year old girl taken from her mother at the airport after flying in from Ireland.

His eyes diverted to her picture that was stuck to their incident board in his incoherent thought chain. She was a very pretty girl, he noted, with beautiful long dark hair and intense blue eyes. She was the image of piety and innocence, and it was starting to reach Tony on a personal level that someone so small and pure had been taken away, and at such a young age. He could not help but empathise with the poor child, something that he constantly found it a struggle to accomplish.

From what he had seen, in his opinion, it was obvious that it was a male who took Darcy, mid 40's, a trusting face that children could identify with, respectable exterior, like a businessman perhaps? He figured that the man could be a foreign national, the crime being one of opportunity at the airport. The motivations were very obviously sexual, reflecting in the randomness of attack that ruled out relatives, the perpetrator in question having an unhealthy attraction to young female toddlers.

'He doesn't have kids,' said Tony. 'If he does, he tries to remain as detached from them as possible. He may abuse them, but probably not. I'm guessing that he's not married and not in a relationship, probably sees himself as a lone ranger, travelling from place to place.'

Alex shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

'Sorry Alex,' he said. 'I should have kept my thoughts to myself.'

'No,' she replied. 'It's okay. Think out loud all you want.'

She carried on filling out some paperwork at her desk, ignoring the fact that what Tony had said, the lines he was thinking along were disturbing her. She knew that she had to face up to that disturbance and be as objective as she could. It was all about getting Darcy home safely to her parents. The monster that took her would get his comeuppance, she would make sure of that. That's if she ever caught him...

She shuddered at the thought. How she even dared to imagine that scenario, she would never know...Her mind steadily diverted to the possibilities, morphing once more into an application of the situation to her own life. What if someone took Ben?

Shuffling her chair backwards slightly, she attempted to clear her mind of that. God this case was getting to her.

Looking over to Tony, she sighed. He'd never understand how she felt about children being hurt. He wasn't a father, and she figured that even if he was, he lacked the empathy to identify with the situation. She could be wrong, but from the years she'd known Tony, it seemed evident that was the case.

The phone at Alex's desk rang loudly, echoing throughout the silent room.

Picking it up, she said, 'DI Fielding. Kevin, what do we know? What flight was he on? Interpol? Wow, heavy duty criminal. Last known address? Ah, have they been chasing him? How long? 4 years? Wow, long time. Did you speak to their Captain? Right, she's coming over here. The flight leaves in 2 hours, 13 hour flight, so she'll be here at 9am? She's bringing someone? Do you know who? Okay Kevin, thanks. Bye.'

Sitting up, Tony said, 'So? What's new?'

'Only one sex offender came in on any international flight to Bradfield Airport, which is surprising. Dinyang Fengane. Came in on a flight from Johannesburg 20 minutes before Darcy was taken. Wanted by Interpol for sexual assault on toddlers and a kidnap/murder of a 3 year old girl in Colorado. Does he fit the profile?'

'It depends,' said Tony. 'Married? In a relationship? Children? Occupation? Age?'

'No, no, none, businessman, owns an export company and he's 44,' said Alex, rattling off the information that Kevin gave her.

'It fits,' said Tony, nodding. 'So, who's flying over?'

'Captain of the Johannesburg Police,' said Alex. 'They've been chasing Fengane for 4 years, ever since the Captain has worked there. They haven't got enough concrete evidence on him for an arrest. He's still in the wind. The Captain wants to come over here and liase with us on finding him. She knows his criminal tendencies, might come in handy. She'll be here at 9am with her guest, God knows who that is...'

'Colleague?' asked Tony.

'No idea,' replied Alex.

'Family member?' asked Tony.

'I don't know!' exclaimed Alex. 'Just go home Tony, you're irritating me. And don't forget to be at the airport by 9am.'

'Will do,' he replied, taking his trademark blue carrier bag with a flourish and beginning to leave the room. 'And tell Ben that football Friday will have to wait, am really behind on grading papers for my students.'

'Okay,' she replied.


	2. Left To Our Own

Evie Grace (Repost)

**Carol returns from South Africa.**

_When I wrote this fic to start (almost a year ago) I was a very new writer. I want to have another crack at this fic, so enjoy. Will probably post some new content as well._

Chapter 2: Left To Our Own

'_I don't know!' exclaimed Alex. 'Just go home Tony, you're irritating me. And don't forget to be at the airport by 9am.'_

'_Will do,' he replied, taking his trademark blue carrier bag with a flourish and beginning to leave the room._

Arriving at his home, he turned the key slowly in the door, then trying to push his way through the accumulation of post that had amassed on the doormat in his prolonged absence.

'You spend too much time at work Tony,' he muttered to himself in his usual strangeness as he forcibly shoved the door open, scattering the mail over the floor. 'Too many days falling asleep at the office, or at the Police Station. Gosh I need a holiday!'

Diverting himself away from his subconscious thoughts, Tony scooped up the post and brought it into the living room. He sat down on the sofa, stretching his legs out ahead of him and giving a satisfied yawn.

'Junk, junk, junk, junk,' he chorused, crunching the offending pieces of paper and putting them to the side, planning to toss them in the bin when he could be bothered to get up.

Leaning back in his chair, Tony exhaled loudly and turned his thoughts to what he could occupy his distracted mind with, something that didn't involve the abduction of a little girl by a sexual predator. As he looked to the ceiling, he shifted uncomfortably in a bid to become comfortable immersed in the sofa, and felt the crispness of the previously crunched up junk mail. Sighing slightly, Tony picked them all up, crunching them again as one within his fist and went to the kitchen, dumping them in the bin.

'Bloody junk mail,' he commented, sitting back down.

Noting that his stomach was yearning for culinary satisfaction, of whatever quality as long as it was edible, Tony picked up the phone and dialled speed dial 7, otherwise known as his main source of nourishment. The local Indian takeaway.

'Hi, can I get a bit of everything for one?' asked Tony. '69 Stockwell Way, Bradfield. Thanks.'

Hanging up the phone, he thought back to the day he input those numbers into his speed dial. Carol helped him, because he and technology really were not cohesive. He and a lot of things were not cohesive, he mused.

Ah, that name. Carol. It seemed to roll off his tongue perfectly, it sounded so perfect. She herself was perfect, at the very least to him she was a Goddess. Her number was still on his speed dial, he didn't have the heart to get rid of it. She probably had a new one by now, with a varied list of contacts that probably didn't include him anymore.

The reasons why she left had always played him. Was he that much of a disappointment? Was he so terrible that she felt the need to up and leave him? She had been so understanding, so caring, so tender to him. So why leave? Why leave him to fall apart without her there? But Carol had moved on with her life, for whatever reasons, and Tony was beginning to understand that, even though he could never understand why. But it didn't mean that he had to like it.

To all extents and purposes, he hated the fact that she'd left. He'd tried to hate her for her desertion, but he couldn't. Too much had happened between them, too many feelings involved for hate to become a factor. Frustration was a key one for him these past few years.

He'd tried to carry on, he really had. After Carol's departure and his recovery, he'd struck up a friendship with Carol's replacement, Alex. But he knew for sure that Alex would never become a replacement for Carol in any other way. In fact, he enjoyed the platonic-esque qualities his relationship with Alex demonstrated. He didn't have to think about emotional attachment in a romantic way, just the benefits that friendship offered. And he was okay with that, in fact he rather enjoyed it.

His perplexing trail of thought was broken by the ringing of the doorbell, and then it occurred to him once more that he was in fact starving hungry.

'Food!' he exclaimed merrily, picking up his wallet and heading to the door, quickly opening it, then gently snatching the food from the delivery guy and handing him a ten pound note.

'See ya,' replied the bloke, leaving quickly.

Shutting the door, Tony quickly walked into his kitchen, loading up the various Indian dishes onto a tray and ushering them into the living room.

He threw himself back into the comfort of the sofa, devouring the food that was on offer. Once he was finished, he set the tray aside by the sink in the kitchen, procrastinating that he would do them later.

Throwing himself back in the chair, he decided to load up Tomb Raider on his Playstation, needing some time for free thought. Lara Croft was indeed a cruel mistress, keeping him immersed in the game for many hours, until the signs of tiredness refused to evade him. His eyes drooped unmercifully, forcing him to lose yet another game.

Deciding that enough was enough, Tony shut off the machine, and crawled into bed, not caring that he reeked of body odour and strong Indian aroma, particularly Garlic. He was so wracked with exhaustion that he did not care that his teeth weren't brushed or that he hadn't showered, it wasn't as if there was anybody in his bed to complain about that. He'd do it in the morning. Isn't procrastination a wonder?

As he descended the flight of stairs to sleeping unconsciousness, Tony shot upright, realising that he had to set the alarm for tomorrow morning, or else risk the wrath of Alex.

'It's sad really?' he said to himself. 'I was about to have the best night's sleep ever, and I woke up to set the alarm? I really do need a life.'

Setting the alarm, he turned over, falling asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.


	3. Canary Yellow Marigolds

Evie Grace (Repost)

**Carol returns from South Africa.**

_When I wrote this fic to start (almost a year ago) I was a very new writer. I want to have another crack at this fic, so enjoy. Will probably post some new content as well._

Chapter 3: Canary Yellow Marigolds and Lack Of Caffeine

_As he descended the flight of stairs to sleeping unconsciousness, Tony shot upright, realising that he had to set the alarm for tomorrow morning, or else risk the wrath of Alex. _

'_It's sad really?' he said to himself. 'I was about to have the best night's sleep ever, and I woke up to set the alarm? I really do need a life.'_

_Setting the alarm, he turned over, falling asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow._

The alarm rang its resonating chorus across Tony's bedroom, its continual ringing and the bright flashes forcing him out of bed as it did every morning. His eyes still shut, and in his usual morning ritual, his hand reached out from under the warm of the duvet and slammed down on the offending object several times, until the loud noise emanating from it stopped, leaving the room in a peaceful silence once more.

Sighing, Tony ran a hand through his dark hair, beginning to grey around the edges. In stages, he began to sit up. Once upright, he sighed once more and set about getting ready for the day.

Wrapping his bath robe around himself, Tony opened his wardrobe and began to browse it for something to wear today. He felt like a girl preparing for a first date, scrutinizing every outfit to find the perfect one.

'What are you doing Tony?' he said out loud to himself in his usually bizarre way. 'You don't care about what you wear, you don't care! So why do you suddenly care? Subconscious feeling that the female Captain would be worth dressing up for? Preening your feathers like a vain peacock? Feeling particularly inadequate today?'

Shaking himself out of his strange trance like mindset, Tony laid out a pair of black trousers and a blue collared shirt on his bed, the smartest clothing he owned if you didn't count that awfully bad fitting suit that he reserved for the sort of university functions that required that sort of outfit.

Giving a big yawn and stretching out the knots that had occurred in his body after the night's slumber, Tony left the bedroom in favour of the bathroom, and began to have the shower he so desperately needed before he went to bed, relishing the feel of the hot water on his skin.

After quickly and rigorously brushing his teeth to erase any odour of last night's takeaway, Tony quickly dried off and got dressed, deciding to make a metaphorical hole in the washing up from last night and make coffee.

As he donned his attractive bright-yellow Marigolds and tackled the washing up as quickly as he could, he left them to drain and switched the kettle on with his soapy wet gloved hand.

The doorbell rang, and Tony left the kettle boiling to go and answer it. It was Alex, he knew that, she was picking him up from here then they were going to the airport to pick up the Captain of the Johannesburg Police.

'Morning,' she said with a bemused tone, noting the rubber gloves. 'Becoming a domestic goddess?'

Cringing slightly at the fact that he was still wearing the gloves, Tony said, 'I need to get a dishwasher...'

'Miracle inventions,' remarked Alex. 'Get rid of the canary coloured gloves, we have a Captain to pick up.'

'Aye aye sir,' he said bluntly, saluting her, noting her gazed, he corrected himself, 'Ma'am.'

'Now gender confusion has been set aside, we can leave,' she said with a laugh.

'But I need coffee!' exclaimed Tony.

'I'll buy you a large one at the airport while we're waiting,' she said, compromising.

'Fine,' said Tony.

'Come on then,' she said, noticing him dawdling.

'Sure,' he said, sitting in the car and gazing out of the window.

'I'll put the radio on,' said Alex after a few short minutes of silence.

Tony ignored her, finding a fascination in the blurred lines on the road passing by.

'I think I might talk to a brick wall, I'll get further,' remarked Alex, turning on the radio.

He still ignored her, so she gave up attempting to communicate with him, paying attention to the music. It was soulful and slow with a gentle beat.

_**Ain't no sunshine when she's gone  
It's not warm when she's away  
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone  
And she always gone too long anytime she goes away**_

_**Wonder this time where she's gone**_  
_**Wonder if she's gone to stay**_  
_**Ain't no sunshine when she's gone**_  
_**And this house just ain't no home**_  
_**Anytime she goes away**_

_**And I know, I know, I know, I know**_  
_**I know, I know, I know, I know**_  
_**I know, I know, I know, I know**_  
_**I know, I know, I know, I know**_  
_**I know, I know, I know, I know**_  
_**I know, I know, I know, I know**_  
_**I know, I know**_

_**Hey I'll leave the young thing alone**_  
_**But ain't no sunshine when she's gone**_  
_**Ain't no sunshine when she's gone**_  
_**Only darkness everyday**_

_**Ain't no sunshine when she's gone**_  
_**And this house just ain't no home**_  
_**Anytime she goes away**_  
_**Anytime she goes away**_  
_**Anytime she goes away**_  
_**Anytime she goes away**_

Sensing some movement from Tony's side of the car, Alex looked around. From Tony's overly serious concentrated face, she could tell that he'd been paying close attention to the lyrics. They meant something to him.

'You okay Tony?' she asked, breaking his concentration.

'Yeah, sure,' he replied quietly, going back to staring out of the window.


	4. Hello Tony

Evie Grace (Repost)

**Carol returns from South Africa.**

_When I wrote this fic to start (almost a year ago) I was a very new writer. I want to have another crack at this fic, so enjoy. Will probably post some new content as well._

_Sensing some movement from Tony's side of the car, Alex looked around. From Tony's overly serious concentrated face, she could tell that he'd been paying close attention to the lyrics. They meant something to him._

'_You okay Tony?' she asked, breaking his concentration._

'_Yeah, sure,' he replied quietly, going back to staring out of the window._

The grotesque, ill advised and dingy design of Bradfield Airport gazed out at Alex and Tony from the car. The sky was grey with cloud, the sun just managing to creep through at times, and the general atmosphere; miserable. Just the way Tony was feeling right now.

He couldn't help but think about Carol when listening to that song. The sun never seemed to shine when she was gone; Tony's days were always miserable without her presence. A whole 4 years she'd been gone, it seemed like longer. To him, every second without her became an hour, every minute a day and every day a week. Quite frankly, he was surprised that he'd survived whilst missing her so much because his heart ached everyday for her.

Pictures were all he had, just pictures. They did not measure up in any way to the real thing, and left Tony hollower every time he laid eyes on them.

His focus on his thoughts were broken by Alex's tapping on the window. Snapping out of his almost hypnotic daze, he slowly made his way out of the car.

'Good daydream?' asked Alex.

'No daydream, just thinking,' he replied quickly.

'O-kay,' she replied slowly. 'You really do need caffeine in the morning to function, don't you?'

All he could manage in reply was a feeble and sluggish nod.

'Let's get you inside then,' she replied. 'I'll get you a large coffee.'

With another sluggish movement he moved in the direction of the arrivals entrance.

'Make that a double espresso then,' she replied, following him inside.

_In the Coffee Shop..._

'Feeling better?' she asked, looking at a slightly more coherent looking Tony sitting opposite her.

'Slightly more human,' he said, downing yet another double espresso. 'What time is Captain whoever getting here?'

'Flight should be touching down any minute now,' replied Alex, staring into the remnants of her latte.

'How will we know her?' he asked.

'I have a sign,' said Alex, reaching into her bag and pulling out a piece of card that said, 'Captain Jordan, Johannesburg Police.'

'Does that say Captain Jordan?' asked Tony, not quite believing his brain's interpretations of the image before him.

'Yeah, why, are you having problems seeing? Do you need glasses?' she asked.

'No glasses, vision fine, running to the bathroom, won't be long,' he said quickly, leaving the coffee shop and finding the nearest toilets.

Running into a cubicle, he shut the door, locked it and panted heavily.

'Captain Jordan?' he said to himself, over and over. 'Female Captain, Johannesburg, South Africa, Jordan, Bradfield, 4 years, oh my God!'

Unlocking the cubicle and moving towards the sinks, Tony began to pace up and down the limited space on offer.

'Captain Jordan?' he said to himself, over and over like he had done in the cubicle, his words incoherent. 'Female Captain, Johannesburg, South Africa, Jordan, Bradfield, 4 years, oh my God! Could it be?'

Letting the tap run, he cupped his hands and filled them with water, splashing said water in his face and letting his hands brush over.

'That's what you were hoping for,' he said to his reflection. 'Why you dressed up more than usual, why you took so long to pick an outfit...You were hoping that it was her coming from Johannesburg. You associate Carol with Johannesburg, so subconsciously you preened yourself like a vain self obsessed metrosexual just in case. You want to prove to her that you can still be the one!'

The door of the toilets crept open and another man walked in, heading towards the cubicle.

'But she's bringing someone, who is it? Could be a fellow police officer, might be a friend, or a boyfriend? Or a husband? Have I missed my chance?'

'You alright mate?' asked the other man.

'Yeah,' replied Tony. 'Yeah I am. I'll be going. Time to face the music.'

He left the toilets and came back to where Alex was sitting.

'They've just announced that the flight is in, so we'll go to the gate now,' she said. 'Are you okay?'

'Yeah, fine,' replied Tony.

'I don't believe you,' she replied.

'Captain Jordan of the Johannesburg Police _is _former Bradfield DCI Carol Jordan,' said Tony rushedly.

'Oh my God!' replied Alex. 'The one that you?'

'Worked with,' said Tony, finishing her sentence before she inserted her own conclusions.

'I gathered from Kevin and Paula that it was more than that,' she said.

'It wasn't,' snapped Tony.

'Okay,' said Alex, noting that she'd hit a nerve.

Getting up from her chair, she took the lead in the walk to the arrivals gate. Taking the piece of card out of her bag once more, she held it up as people began to walk through.

As half of the travellers had decimated, Tony clapped his eyes on Carol. She was still beautiful, she still had that ethereal glow about her that made him smile every time he glimpsed it. She had a new hairstyle as well, a longer version of her slightly wavy, laid back style. Her eyes still had the captivating look to them, that left Tony feeling like he was being immersed in their deep beauty.

And she was pushing a buggy?

'Hello Tony,' she said timidly, shifting uncomfortably and feeling the tension between the three of them.


	5. Evie

Evie Grace (Repost)

**Carol returns from South Africa.**

_When I wrote this fic to start (almost a year ago) I was a very new writer. I want to have another crack at this fic, so enjoy. Will probably post some new content as well._

'**Captain Jordan of the Johannesburg Police **_**is **_**former Bradfield DCI Carol Jordan,' said Tony rushedly.**

_As half of the travellers had decimated, Tony clapped his eyes on Carol. She was still beautiful, she still had that ethereal glow about her that made him smile every time he glimpsed it. She had a new hairstyle as well, a longer version of her slightly wavy, laid back style. Her eyes still had the captivating look to them, that left Tony feeling like he was being immersed in their deep beauty._

_And she was pushing a buggy?_

'_Hello Tony,' she said timidly, shifting uncomfortably and feeling the tension between the three of them._

'Carol...' he said in awe. 'It's really you...'

'Yeah,' she replied quietly.

'Uhh, Carol, this is DI Alex Fielding, Alex, Carol Jordan,' said Tony awkwardly, his eyes still focused on the child.

Shaking her hand, Alex and Carol said in unison, 'Nice to meet you.'

'I've heard so much about you,' said Alex to Carol.

'Ah don't worry,' replied Carol. 'Can't all be true.'

An awkward silence descended upon the three of them, Tony turning his attention to the child in the buggy. From the pink she was dressed in, the child was very obviously a girl. She seemed to be about 2 years old, had tufts of brown hair and cute little chubby cheeks.

He mentally scolded himself for the thoughts held in his mind. He shouldn't be analysing a child like he was. He shouldn't be so jealous that Carol had shared such a gift with another man, the gift of a child.

Tony's thoughts were interrupted by a small squeak from the buggy. Tony flinched slightly at the sound, which made Alex and Carol stifle a laugh.

'Tony it's only a toddler,' said Alex.

As Carol bent down to tend to the sleepy eyed toddler, she said soothingly, 'It's okay Evie, shhh.'

'She's beautiful,' remarked Alex with a smile.

'I can't take credit for her beauty,' said Carol. 'She's her father's daughter for sure.'

'Her name's Evie?' asked Tony, bending down to the buggy's level and looking into her eyes. They were such a deep blue that Tony wondered if oceans dwelled there. They were the most beautiful eyes Tony had ever seen.

Carol nodded, 'Evie Grace.'

Evie smiled at him, and Tony returned her beam.

'She's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen,' he remarked in awe.

'Again,' said Carol. 'I can't take any credit for that.'

Standing up, Tony said, 'Must be a good gene pool.'

'Must be,' replied Carol quietly.

Alex had now bent down to the buggy's level and was cooing at little Evie, a bright smile evident on her face. But inside, Alex's mind was scurrying around trying to piece the puzzle together. Where had she seen those eyes before? There was something so familiar about them. And the way little Evie wrinkled her nose, that seemed familiar too. Had she seen this child before? Or did she know her parents?

The startling realisation hit her, and she nearly gasped with shock, although she managed to contain it at the very last moment. Not that Carol and Tony noticed, they were too busy trying to outstare each other.

Alex weighed up the pros and cons of mentioning her realisation and decided that perhaps now wasn't the best time.

'What are the chances that you'd end up back in Bradfield eh?' said Alex, standing back up.

'Almost impossible, until now,' replied Carol. 'Johannesburg keeps me busy enough, but when I heard about Dingane, I knew Bradfield was where I had to be. Hope you didn't mind me bringing Evie.'

'That's perfectly fine,' said Alex. 'I'm sure she'll be no trouble. Have you got a place to stay or would you like me to book a hotel?'

'A hotel would be nice,' said Carol. 'It was so last minute I never got around to organising anything.'

'I'll sort it,' said Alex.

'No,' said Tony. 'You can stay with me Carol. There's plenty of room, it'll be cheaper and it'll give us a chance to catch up. It's been too long.'

'It has,' replied Carol. 'I graciously accept your offer.'

'Well that's sorted then,' said Alex. 'Let's get going, we have a lot of work to do.'

'Yes we do,' replied Tony, lifting up the suitcase beside Carol and following Alex's lead out of the airport.

_The way home..._

Tony and Alex sat in the front of the car, whilst Carol and Evie were in the back. Tony, creaking his neck constantly in the process kept turning his head around to look at Evie. She was fast asleep now, but she was like an angel. A peaceful, sleeping angel. Noticing that Carol and Alex's eyes were on him, he turned back around.

'My, my, Evie seems to have made a mighty impression on you,' remarked Alex with a laugh.

'Yeah,' replied Tony quietly.

'So Carol,' said Alex. 'How come Evie's father couldn't look after her in South Africa?'

'We're not together anymore, and he's always very busy with work,' said Carol. 'I feel better knowing that she's close to me.'

'I'd feel exactly the same way if it was Ben,' said Alex.

'You have a son?' asked Carol.

'Yeah,' replied Alex. 'He's 12 now, growing so fast.'

'Tell me about it,' said Carol. 'Seems like only yesterday that Evie was a newborn, and she's close to her 3rd birthday. It's surreal.'

'How was South Africa?' asked Tony randomly from the front.

'A good experience,' said Carol. 'Definitely very different to Bradfield, but I've learnt a lot with the Scorpions. Have you heard that it is due to be disbanded?'

'Really?' asked Alex. 'I never knew that.'

'Yeah, so in a month I'm out of a job,' said Carol. 'When that happens I have a decision to make. I could stay in Johannesburg, or come back to England.'

'I'm sure that the ACC will have something for you,' said Alex. 'If you decide to stay in Bradfield.'

'I'm not sure that he liked me that much,' admitted Carol. 'I definitely got on better with his predecessor.'

'Was that Brandon?' asked Alex.

'Yeah, it's a shame he decided to retire,' said Carol. 'He was a great officer, but after he was nearly killed, I can't say I blame him.'

'That would make anyone want to retire,' said Alex.

'We're here,' announced Tony.

'So we are,' replied Carol. 'Hasn't changed a bit.'

'Nothing ever does,' said Alex.

'Oh yes it does,' says Tony.


	6. Explanations and Revelations

Evie Grace (Repost)

**Carol returns from South Africa.**

_When I wrote this fic to start (almost a year ago) I was a very new writer. I want to have another crack at this fic, so enjoy. Will probably post some new content as well._

'_We're here,' announced Tony._

'_So we are,' replied Carol. 'Hasn't changed a bit.'_

'_Nothing ever does,' said Alex._

'_Oh yes it does,' says Tony. _

'If you say so,' said Alex, helping to carry the bags into the house.

'Do you want to stay for a coffee Alex?' asked Carol.

'Thanks for offering,' she replied. 'But I really must get back to the station.'

'Of course,' said Carol. 'Once we're sorted over here, we'll come and brainstorm with you about Dingane. I can tell you what I know.'

'Great,' said Alex.

'Did you know that it's not very politically correct to use the term brainstorm?' asked Tony. As the women looked at him in astonishment, he said, 'Oh yeah, it's meant to be offensive to epileptics, as their seizures are technically a storm of the brain.'

'Fascinating,' said Alex, rolling her eyes.

'Same old Tony,' remarked Carol. 'I guess we'll see you later then Alex.'

'You will,' she replied, leaving the room, shutting the door behind her.

'Coffee,' said Tony eagerly, reaching for the kettle and filling it.

Setting 2 chipped mugs on the table, he picked his up in unison to her and said, 'Ah, nothing like caffeine.'

'Indeed,' replied Carol, setting her cup back down on the coaster. 'I've missed good old English instant coffee.'

'Simple pleasures are often the best,' said Tony.

'Definitely,' she replied, sitting back in the chair.

'Jetlagged?' asked Tony quietly.

'We're only 2 hours ahead,' said Carol. 'So not jetlagged.'

Looking to the buggy, Tony said, 'I think Evie is.'

Carol, catching the vision of her sleeping toddler curled up in the buggy said, 'She didn't sleep too well on the plane, obviously she's trying to catch up. Unluckily for her, she can't drink coffee to stay awake.'

Tony began to stare into space as his mind calculated possibilities and time scales, pondering the logistics of it all.

Carol had noticed that he was in a world of his own, and left him immersed in his own thoughts for a few minutes before saying, 'Tony, Tony...'

Waving her hands in front of his eyes, she said briskly, 'Tony!'

Snapping out of his trance like thought train, Tony said, 'Sorry, I was miles away.'

'I can tell,' she said softly.

A few moments passed in silence before Tony said, 'When were you going to tell me?'

'Tell you what?' she asked with a soft smile, taking another tentative sip of her coffee and setting it back down.

'That I was Evie's dad,' he stated.

'What would make you think that?' she asked, not giving anything away.

'Don't play stupid Carol, you know why I think that!' said Tony, raising his voice a little. 'When I was recovering, after my surgery...that night we shared together. If Evie's almost 3, then the timeline fits. She's mine isn't she?'

'Yes,' said Carol quietly. 'Tony, please, let me explain!'

'I'm all ears Carol,' he replied, holding his hands up. 'I'd like to know everything.'

'Okay, I'll tell you everything,' said Carol with bated breath. 'That night was the culmination of a lot of confused feelings between us, a lot of emotion that neither of us was ready to feel. I wouldn't go as far as calling it a mistake, but it shouldn't have happened Tony. Our relationship has always been a complicated grey area, and it was wrong of me to progress things whilst you were recovering from such major surgery.'

'Why did you leave?' asked Tony softly, avoiding making eye contact.

'I left that morning before you got up because I felt as if I'd taken advantage of you in some way. You were recovering,' she said.

'I knew what I was doing,' stated Tony brashly.

'I know,' said Carol. 'I was scared. Scared of the way I felt, scared of taking advantage of a bad situation, and scared of ruining our friendship. Like a coward, I ran away, and like an even bigger coward, I never told you I was leaving.'

'There was me thinking I was a disappointment in the bedroom,' said Tony. 'Remember what I told you?'

'Maybe a 5 minute walk, if it wasn't raining,' she said, thinking with fondness of the past they'd shared. 'Definitely more than a 5 minute walk, even in the rain. I could never understand why you were so self conscious about your potency.'

'Old issue,' said Tony. 'But anyway, tell me about when you found out you were going to have Evie.'

'Okay,' said Carol. 'After taking the job in South Africa, I packed up and went out to Johannesburg. A week later, I started the job. A month into working, I fainted out on the job. I brushed off the concerns of my team, put it down to heatstroke. I told them that obviously the heat didn't agree with me, after all I did come from a pretty cold country with lots of rain. They believed me, until it happened again a few more times. My commanding officer insisted I get checked out at the hospital. That's when it occurred to me that my period was quite a bit late. They ran a test on me, it was positive, and the rest they say is history.'

'So along came Evie,' said Tony.

'Yeah,' said Carol softly. 'Evie Grace Hill. Like me, she has dual nationality in South Africa and the UK. She was born September 15th, a few weeks early and weighed in at 6lbs 8oz. She turns 3 in a few weeks and she loves the beach.'

'She has my eyes,' said Tony. 'I noticed at the airport.'

'Yeah, she has your eyes,' agreed Carol. 'They're beautiful.'

'I can't believe you never told me,' said Tony. 'I've missed so much of her life. How simpler it would have been if you'd stayed.'

'Stayed for what though Tony?' asked Carol. 'The new ACC hated me, my chances of promotion were slim, I'd become dependent on your help with cases, I'd fallen in love with you and crossed the line that was our friendship that night. I was scared that you were going to wake up and regret what had happened between us, and our relationship, our friendship would become awkward. I didn't want that, so I ran away.'

'I have something to show you,' said Tony, taking her hand and leading her into the bedroom.

'What?' asked Carol.

'Look in the bedside cabinet on the left,' said Tony.

Opening the drawer, Carol saw the drawers only contents. A ring box. A single ring box. She inhaled deeply as if searching for inner strength and opened the box. Her eyes gazed upon the emerald set in diamonds and gold. It was an engagement ring.

'I went out and bought it when I'd been released from the hospital,' said Tony. 'I was going to take you out for dinner the night after we'd slept together. I wanted us forever Carol, I didn't want us to be just friends. You leaving broke my heart. As soon as I was better, I went looking for you. But you'd left for South Africa, and the ring's sat there ever since. And I threw myself into my work as a coping mechanism, and here we are now.'

'Here we are,' said Carol, wiping a tear from her face. 'I've been an idiot, haven't I?'

Pulling her into a hug, Tony said, 'No, you haven't. You just underestimated me.'


	7. Embrace

Evie Grace (Repost)

**Carol returns from South Africa.**

_When I wrote this fic to start (almost a year ago) I was a very new writer. I want to have another crack at this fic, so enjoy. Will probably post some new content as well._

**Please forgive me for not posting. I have had so much homework for my ALevels. My first exam is in only 3 months! Anyway, I will try to post as often as I can.**

_'I have something to show you,' said Tony, taking her hand and leading her into the bedroom._

_'What?' asked Carol._

_'Look in the bedside cabinet on the left,' said Tony._

_Opening the drawer, Carol saw the drawers only contents. A ring box. A single ring box. She inhaled deeply as if searching for inner strength and opened the box. Her eyes gazed upon the emerald set in diamonds and gold. It was an engagement ring._

_'I went out and bought it when I'd been released from the hospital,' said Tony. 'I was going to take you out for dinner the night after we'd slept together. I wanted us forever Carol, I didn't want us to be just friends. You leaving broke my heart. As soon as I was better, I went looking for you. But you'd left for South Africa, and the ring's sat there ever since. And I threw myself into my work as a coping mechanism, and here we are now.'_

_'Here we are,' said Carol, wiping a tear from her face. 'I've been an idiot, haven't I?'_

_Pulling her into a hug, Tony said, 'No, you haven't. You just underestimated me.'_

They sat there for what seemed like an eternity in each other's embrace, simply hugging. It didn't go anywhere beyond that, just hugging. It could not be described as platonic, but comfortable, intimate and revealing.

'You've made my shirt wet,' commented Tony, feeling the moisture seep through the material.

'Oh, I'm sorry,' said Carol, sniffing a bit.

'Don't worry,' he said. 'I have plenty of others.'

'I just want to stay here forever,' said Carol.

'Yeah,' he replied quietly. 'Me too…'

For a few more moments, they remained in this close embrace, until the resounding chorus of Tony's phone interrupted their comfortable, intimate silence.

'Bloody technology,' cursed Tony, removing his arms from around Carol and picking up the phone. 'Alex, hi. Now? Oh God, how? Okay, give us half an hour to an hour, we'll be there.'

As Tony put down the phone, Carol said, 'What's happened?'

'They've found Darcy Calgary's body on the industrial estate,' said Tony. 'Without any clothing and severely beaten, most probably sexually abused.'

'Oh God,' said Carol, bringing her hands to her mouth in shock. 'We need to catch this bastard Tony, we really do. What kind of a man can do that to a child? What kind of a man could mutilate an innocent little girl? God help him if I catch him first, I'll kill him!'

'Carol!' said Tony. 'You can't take this personally. Darcy was of a similar age to Evie, yes. But don't act as if it was Evie that was hurt in this way. Channel your anger and frustration into catching the killer and bringing justice for Darcy. Don't let your hatred and motherly instinct consume you.'

'I can't help it Tony,' said Carol loudly, pulling herself away from Tony's arms and standing up, picking up her coffee cup and taking a sip from it, slamming it down on the coffee table afterwards with anger. 'I couldn't even keep my emotions in check with cases before I was a mother, let alone now. How can you not react? Now that you know you're a father, how can you not be angry? How can you not want to rip Dingane limb from limb for harming a child? What if it was Evie in that warehouse Tony? Would you react then?'

'I have no choice but to be objective!' roared Tony, making Evie whimper. Noticing this, he said hushedly, 'Evie, oh my darling I'm sorry. Forgive Daddy for shouting. I'm sorry Carol. I understand what you mean, but I have to keep a clear head on this one. For Darcy.'

'For Darcy,' replied Carol quietly. 'I'll get Evie and myself changed out of these clothes, and we can go.'

'Okay,' said Tony. 'I'll go and change my shirt. Be ready in 10?'

'Sure,' said Carol. As his back was halfway out of the door, Carol said, 'Tony?'

'Yes?' he asked, turning around, their eyes meeting.

'I'm sorry,' she said.

'I know,' said Tony. 'I'll be back in a moment.'

He left the room for his bedroom, where he changed his shirt. Once he was finished, he came back into the living room, where a dressed Evie sat on the sofa smiling as Carol was dressing herself. But she had not got far, for there she stood in her underwear.

'Oh my God Carol,' said Tony, shielding his eyes. 'Forgive me.'

'No worries Tony,' she said with a calm smile. 'You've seen it all before.'

As Carol pulled on her trousers and her shirt, buttoning it up, Tony said, 'That was then.'

Flattening her hair looking at her reflection in the mirror, Carol said, 'I know. Never mind, you didn't see everything.'

'Yeah,' said Tony. 'You ready to go?'

'Yeah,' said Carol. 'Just have to get mine and Evie's shoes on.'

'She's nodded off again, bless her,' said Tony.

'Oh Jesus, she's so tired,' said Carol. 'Evie,' she said softly. 'Evie my love, wakey wakey.'

Evie opened her eyes and yawned slightly. 'Mumma,' she said sleepily.

'Yes beautiful, Mumma's here. I'm just going to put your shoes on and then we're going to the Police station. We'll take the buggy so you can sleep, okay?'

Evie nodded quietly.

'Let's go then,' said Carol with a smile.


	8. Flashback

Evie Grace (Repost)

**Carol returns from South Africa.**

When I wrote this fic to start (almost a year ago) I was a very new writer. I want to have another crack at this fic, so enjoy. Will probably post some new content as well.

_Italics are flashbacks._

**Please forgive me for not posting. I have had so much homework for my ALevels. My first exam is in only 3 months! Anyway, I will try to post as often as I can**

'_Knock knock,' she said, loitering in the doorway._

'_You know that phrase is absolutely pointless,' replied Tony from his bed, running his hands along his changed hairline. 'The door was already open.'_

'_Yeah, I know,' she replied quietly._

'_Come in anyway,' he said, sitting up slightly. 'I see you've brought coffee.'_

'_Don't tell your doctor, he'll string me up,' said Carol with a smile. 'But you're far more cooperative whilst on caffeine.'_

'_Mmmmm,' said Tony to himself, taking the cup from Carol's hands into his own and inhaling the sweet aroma of coffee. 'Ahh how I've missed you.'_

'_Savour it,' said Carol. 'That's your lot for today.'_

'_You must be the cruellest nurse alive,' he retorted, pouting slightly._

'_Call me a nurse one more time and I'll cancel your sponge bath,' countered Carol._

'_Oh you wouldn't,' he replied._

'_Watch me,' she said._

'Tony!' said Carol loudly, snapping him out of his flashback to the past.

'Sorry, I was miles away,' he replied.

'I can tell,' she said with a smile. 'What were you thinking about?'

'Nothing,' he stated, shifting uncomfortably.

'Which means it's something. Go on. Tell me. What were you thinking about or daydreaming about?'

'The night we made Evie,' he said.

'Ahh, that kind of flashback,' replied Carol bashfully, her cheeks slightly tinged with the red of embarrassment.

'No, no, no,' said Tony, realising Carol's interpretation of what he'd been thinking. 'Not that. I was thinking of the talk we had before.'

'The sponge bath one?' asked Carol.

'Yeah,' he replied. 'I'm not too good with flirting, but that seemed to come naturally.'

'Do you remember what happened next?' asked Carol.

'_It's getting late,' said Carol, noticing the time. 'I'll make up a bed on the sofa.'_

'_Okay,' he said, staring in a completely different direction as if detached from the real world and trapped in a world of his own._

'You never wanted to sleep on the sofa, did you?' asked Tony softly.

'No,' replied Carol. 'I never did. You never wanted me to sleep on the sofa either did you?'

'Nope,' admitted Tony. 'I wanted to sleep by your side, amongst other things…'

'Well that explains the events that happened afterwards…' said Carol.

_2 hours later, Tony was still awake, his eyes still fixed on that particular spot on the ceiling. He couldn't sleep. Why? He's always been pretty good at falling asleep, even if there was trouble, even in the most dire of situations, his head on a pillow was all that was required for a peaceful night's slumber._

_Finally relenting, he got out of bed sluggishly, his hands running through his erratically cut hair and sighing._

_He wrapped his dressing gown around himself, and then slowly, step by step, he made his way into the living room, where his eyes, even in the dark, glimpsed Carol's sleeping form._

_She stirred slightly at the noise he made, and sat up._

'_Can't sleep?' she asked._

'_Nope,' said Tony with a yawn. 'I blame the caffeine. Not a good idea before bed, although it's never stopped me before.'_

'_Want to talk about it?' she asked, moving her legs off the sofa and shifting up so that there was room for Tony to sit down._

_He accepted her invitation and sat down beside her, running his hands through his jagged hair once more._

'_Stop fiddling with you hair,' scolded Carol. 'People are going to think you're becoming vain.'_

'_With a hairline like that, I think I am,' he said. 'You would've thought they would've taken a little bit more care with the clippers.'_

'_I'm sure they would've taken more consideration into your appearance if they hadn't been preoccupied with saving your life,' remarked Carol as Tony huffed. _

'What a time in your life to become vain,' said Carol with a smirk.

'Did you actually see my hairline or were you conveniently blind?' asked Tony. 'It was awful, took ages to go back to normal.'

'You should've worn the bad hairline with pride,' said Carol. 'It shows you survived all of that trauma, the surgery, the tumour, the haemorrhage.'

'And came out of it alive and slightly less hairy,' added Tony, making Carol giggle.

'_Any particular reason why you can't sleep?'_

'_I don't think so,' said Tony. _

'_Could it be the caffeine, like you said?' she asked._

'_I said I blamed the caffeine, but I don't think it was the coffee's fault. I used to drink coffee before bed all of the time and sleep fine,' pondered Tony._

'_You have had major surgery Tony, it'll take a while to recover, a while for things to go back to normal,' she said. 'The psychological impact of what you went through….'_

'_My psyche is fine,' argued Tony._

'_You're the psychologist,' she said. 'But they do always say that doctors are the worst patients…'_

'_Touche,' he replied._

'_You've slept fine the night's I've been here, what's changed? What's different about tonight?'_

'_You thought I'd slept fine, but I haven't been,' admitted Tony._

'_Why Tony?' asked Carol getting frustrated._

'_You weren't beside me,' he blurted out, covering his mouth once he'd said it in regret. Noting Carol's intrigued expression but her mouth remaining still, he continued, 'I was in hospital for a week Carol, and you slept beside me in that chair every single night. You may not have thought that I never noticed, but I did. I knew you held my hand as well, and sometimes you cried. Now I'm alone in a bed again, I can't sleep, not without knowing you're there beside me.'_

'_What does this mean Tony?' she asked with her lips pursed slightly. 'Does this mean that you have feelings for me?'_

'_Surely we both knew that already,' he replied. 'It's a shame that it took something like my nearly dying for me to realise it.'_

_Almost as a reflex action, they were face to face, the space between them decreasing as they spoke._

'_I want you Carol,' he admitted breathily, inhaling her scent as if she'd be taken away from him at any moment._

'_Then take me,' she replied, kissing him softly._

'_I don't want to disappoint you,' he said shyly._

'_You could never, ever, do that,' she replied, taking his hand and leading him to the bedroom._

'And along came Evie,' said Carol. 'That was a truly spectacular night, and definitely more than a five minute walk, even in the rain.'

'Nee nor,' commented Evie from the backseat, seeing a police car.

'Nee nor indeed Evie,' said Tony. 'This is where Mummy used to work, and where Daddy likes to pretend to work.'

'He's being modest Evie, he actually does work here,' she said. 'We'll have to find a parking space, might take a while. It was bad enough when we had assigned parking.'


End file.
